Friday, April 18, 2014

Big consequences that I can't prove

The Oklahoma marriage equality case was before the 10th Circuit Court yesterday. The state had declared that allowing same-sex couples to marry "harms the government’s interest in creating stable families and cared for children." One of the judges on the case demanded the state prove it. The attorney for the state said it isn't the government's responsibility to show the harm. Quite the dodge. The judge persisted. The attorney replied there are "real world consequences" but "no one knows the long-term effects." Translation: The most horrible things are going to happen and we can't prove any of it, nor do we have to. Which means they're in the same situation as this guy.

The Arkansas same-sex marriage ban has been before the judge. He says he will rule within two weeks. The plaintiff attorney is feeling pretty good. Since the Windsor case last summer, the one that struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, there have been 18 cases at the state and federal level that ruled in favor of equality. The attorney for the state said that ruling only applies to federal laws and did not block states from defining marriage as they wish. He is correct, but he misses the point.